Steven Candia
12 October 2008
Kampala — THE Police have issued stringent guidelines on fire works display in the wake of terrorist threats. Under the new rules, the time of display of fireworks and the explosive used must be declared and the display announced in advance.
Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said save for New Year's Day, fireworks will only be displayed between 7:00pm and 9:30pm.
"In the newspapers, the publicity should run at least up to the eve of the display while on radio and television, even up to the day of the display. We will give permission only on proof of such publicity."
The guidelines followed a meeting on Thursday between the Police leadership and officials of three top fireworks operators, Tomil Fireworks, Quality Lighting Uganda and Party Fireworks.
It emerged at the meeting that Uganda still uses explosives that were banned in other countries long ago.
"These make a lot of noise and are not fit to be used at many functions, especially in residential areas," Nabakooba said.
"Henceforth, the Police will regulate the kind of explosives used for fireworks. This is even more important in light of terrorism threats the country is facing."
Nabakooba added that Uganda was being used as a dumping ground for the banned explosives.
As a way forward, she said, the meeting agreed that the Police works with the fireworks operators to agree on the explosives to be used in fireworks displays.
The guidelines come a week after the Police issued a terror alert, warning of imminent attacks by groups connected to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
The Police said the terrorists were targeting shopping malls, markets, hotels, taxi parks, government installations and foreign embassies.
Al-Qaeda is blamed for the 2001 attack on the US World Trade Centre in which thousands were killed. The US responded by invading Afghanistan, seen as the haven for the terrorists.
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